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Seal Conservation Area Appraisal Draft September 2018

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Seal Conservation Area Appraisal Draft September 2018 Seal Conservation Area Appraisal Draft September 2018 This draft appraisal for Seal Conservation Area supports the duty of Sevenoaks District Council to prepare proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas. For details of the methodology employed in assessing the conservation area and preparing the appraisal, see the “Sevenoaks District Conservation Areas: an introduction to appraisals revised in 2018”. 1.0 Overview of Seal Conservation Area 1 Interactive map 2 2.0 Historical development 3 3.0 Architectural and built character 5 4.0 Views 17 5.0 Open space assessment 18 6.0 Condition and issues 20 7.0 Management recommendations 21 Draft 1 1.0 Overview of Seal Conservation Area The village of Seal lies 2 miles to the north-east of the town of Sevenoaks, on Summary of special interest an historic east-west route through Kent which is now the A25. To the north Seal is an attractive village with a well-preserved historic townscape. The main is the M26 and beyond that the North Downs. It sits within the Kent Downs features of Seal Conservation Area’s special historic and architectural interest are: Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and some open spaces on the edges of the conservation area are included in the Metropolitan Green Belt. • It retains the character and appearance of a traditional Kentish village; • An attractive, informal streetscape composed of buildings of varied but Conservation area boundary traditional character; Seal Conservation Area comprises the historic built-up area of the village of Seal • A well defined village boundary; along with the Recreation Ground to the west and part of the northern edge of the • A rich mix of historic buildings including a medieval parish church, a small Wildernesse estate. The Wildernesse Conservation Area abuts Seal Conservation number of medieval houses, some good Georgian domestic architecture and a Area to the south. good collection of late nineteenth-century ‘Old English’-style buildings; • A large number of buildings and structures that are listed; Designation history • Visual harmony resulting from use of a limited palette of local, natural building Seal Conservation Area was designated in 1972 and extended in 1987 and again in materials and colours; 2006. The previous Conservation Area Appraisal was published in December 2003. • Traditional craftsmanship embodied in original building materials and architectural features; Topography and geology • A strong visual connection with the North Downs; The village sits on the Greensand ridge, from which the stone used in many village • The parish church is an important landmark. buildings comes. To the north is the Vale of Holmesdale with Guzzle Brook, a tributary of the River Darent, running through it. Beyond that rises the chalk escarpment of the North Downs. Views over the vale towards the downs are an important characteristic of the conservation area. Seal Conservation Area Draft Appraisal September 2018 Seal Conservation Area Existing boundary View within CA Listed Building Positive Contributor Detractor Character Zone 1: High Street Character Zone 2: North of the High Street Character Zone 3: Around the Parish Church Character Zone 4: Recreation Ground Character Zone 5: South of the High Street Strong contribution Some contribution Negligible contribution This drawing incorporates information from the Ordnance Survey which is © Crown Copyright. ABA Licence: AL1000 17547 Draft 3 2.0 Historical development Beginnings old-maps.co.uk Seal lies on the ancient Saxon Road from Winchester to Maidstone and is mentioned in the Domesday book. From the earliest times up to the middle of the twentieth century it was a predominantly agricultural community, with pasture, arable and fruit growing; hops were grown locally from at least the sixteenth century. The oldest parts of the parish church date to the thirteenth century and it was enlarged with a typical Kentish west tower in the 1520s. The village green, on the north side of the High Street, was being encroached upon as early as the fifteenth century, when Forge Cottage was built. There are at least four medieval hall-houses in Seal village: the former Kentish Yeoman, the former Crown, 29-31 High Street and Camden House in School Lane. Georgian Seal The second half of the eighteenth century saw a number of prestigious houses built in Seal, such as The Croft, Church Street (1767–73) and the Grey House (c.1760). Other Georgian buildings in Seal include the 5 Bells Inn and the cottages to the west of it, as encroachment on the village green continued. Medieval houses were modernised with new brick or tile facades. Nineteenth century By the mid-nineteenth century the local economy was still based on agriculture, and associated trades such as blacksmiths, wheelwrights, harness-makers, saddlers and farriers were located in the village. A particular specialism was developed in edge-tool manufacturing. At the church, the north aisle was added by the architect George Gilbert Scott in 1855 and the churchyard was extended 1871 edition of the Ordnance Survey northwards in 1869. Seal Conservation Area Draft Appraisal September 2018 © Crown Copyright and Landmark Information Group Limited 2018 all rights reserved. This map may not be reproduced without permission. 604518846 OS County Series: KENT 1:10,560 1871 Draft 4 The late nineteenth century saw many new buildings in the village. The Coffee Tavern at the east end of the High Street was built in the early 1880s, to discourage drunkenness, and the Bible Christian Chapel in Church Street was built in 1886. Much of the development at this time is associated with local benefactor Lord Hillingdon who lived at nearby Wildernesse. Under his patronage the Village Hall, Fire Station and a number of houses were built and the land for the Recreation Ground and the Allotments was given over to the village. Twentieth century Seal expanded significantly in the 1920s (the parish population increased from 1,600 in 1921 to 2,078 in 1931), with developments to the north of the historic village, a mixture of public and private housing. The 2nd Lord Hillingdon sold Wildernesse in 1924 and it became a country club. After the Second World War, agriculture was still the principal local industry. In 1945 Herbert Schwartz, a former German prisoner of war, set up Seal General Engineers in the outbuildings of Church Farm. The village continued to expand to the north after the war, as Seal steadily turned from an agricultural to a commuter settlement. At the same time, increasing traffic, particularly on the High Street, has altered the rural character of the village. Seal Conservation Area Draft Appraisal September 2018 Draft 5 3.0 Architectural and built character 3.1 Spatial character The spatial character of Seal is a good example of a settlement built around the three key elements of main street, village green and parish church. It can be summarised as follows: • The High Street has continuous development along its length, with most buildings tight up against the pavement; • North of the High Street is a network of narrow streets with informally grouped buildings around two small greens that are remnants of the former village green; • Many houses along the High Street have historic outbuildings in their back yards; • The church stands at the north-eastern extremity of the village providing a landmark to the area; • Larger houses set in generous gardens, and the churchyard create a greater sense of openness and greenery in the north-eastern part of the conservation area; • The land falls away to the north allowing views towards the North Downs and giving an understanding of local topography; • Open space on the edges of the conservation area mean that Seal can still be understood as a discrete settlement. Seal Conservation Area Draft Appraisal September 2018 Draft 6 3.2 Building forms and details The historic buildings of the conservation area are strongly traditional in character and can be summarised as follows: • Small-scale and domestic in character; • Some larger houses and residences on the High Street, Church Street and south of the High Street; • Predominantly two storeys; Small-scale and domestic Two storeys with unbroken roof slopes • Traditional forms of pitched roofs often with gable ends facing the street; • Unbroken roof slopes; • Brick chimneys, often tall and prominent; • Timber-framed sash or casement windows, mostly small-paned, with square or segmental heads; • Panelled timber doors. Brick chimneys Sash windows and casement windows Seal Conservation Area Draft Appraisal September 2018 Draft 7 3.3 Architectural styles Seal has a rich mix of architectural styles and detailing that reflect the incremental development of the village. The predominant types of historic architecture in Seal Conservation Area are: • Kentish vernacular: a style characterised by the use of locally available materials that reflect local custom and building tradition. Characteristic features within Seal include Ragstone walls, timber frame walling, tile hanging, steeply pitched Vernacular Vernacular roofs covered with plain clay (Kent peg) tiles, and painted timber weatherboarding; • Georgian domestic architecture, characterised by Flemish bond brickwork or rendered facades, symmetrical elevations and sash windows. Example in the village include both large houses e.g. the Grey House, Church Road, and small scale cottages; • ‘Old English’ style buildings of the late nineteenth century. Georgian domestic Georgian domestic Old English Old English Seal
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